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{{short description|Hollywood restaurant since 1949}}
{{Tone|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox restaurant
'''Miceli's''' is the oldest Italian restaurant in [[Hollywood, California]].<ref name="lamag">{{cite news| title=Hollywood Pizza King Carmen Miceli Dies at 92| url=https://www.lamag.com/askchris/hollywood-pizza-king-carmen-miceli-dies-at-92/| access-date=28 October 2020| newspaper=Los Angeles magazine| date=3 November 2015}}</ref>
| name = Miceli's
| logo =
| logo_width =
| logo_alt =
| image =
| image_width =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map =
| map_width =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| slogan =
| established = {{Start date and age|1949}}
| closed =
| current-owner =
| previous-owner =
| chef =
| head-chef =
| food-type = Italian
| dress-code = [[Casual attire|Casual]], [[business casual]]
| rating =
| street-address = 1646 N Las Palmas Avenue
| city = [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]]
| county = [[Los Angeles]]
| state = [[California]]
| postcode =
| country = [[United States]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|34.1015|-118.3360|type:landmark_region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
| seating-capacity =
| reservations =
| other-locations = 3655 Cahuenga Blvd, [[Universal City, California]]
| other-information =
| website = {{URL|https://micelis.restaurant/}}
}}


'''''Miceli's''''' is an Italian restaurant located at 1646 N Las Palmas Avenue, half a block south of [[Hollywood Boulevard]], in [[Hollywood, California]]. Open since 1949, it is the oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood<ref name=abc7>{{cite news|url=https://abc7.com/micelis-hollywood-italian-food/5694684/|publisher=[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]|title=Oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood: Miceli's celebrates its 70th anniversary|date=November 13, 2019|author=Sophie Flay}}</ref> and is known for its singing waitstaff,<ref name=chamberofcommerce>{{cite web|url=https://hollywoodchamber.net/restaurant-of-the-week-micelis/|publisher=[[Hollywood Chamber of Commerce]]|title=Our Featured Restaurant of the Week is Miceli’s!|date=July 17, 2019}}</ref><ref name=lamag>{{cite magazine|url=https://lamag.com/tv/scene-it-before-micelis-italian-restaurant-from-mob-city|magazine=[[Los Angeles (magazine)]]|title=Scene It Before: Miceli’s Italian Restaurant from Mob City|date=January 9, 2014|author=Lindsay Blake}}</ref><ref name=discover>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.discoverhollywood.com/Publications/Discover-Hollywood/2019/Discover-Hollywood-Summer-2019/Micelis-70th.aspx|magazine=Discover Hollywood|title=Miceli's 70th|date=Summer 2019|author=Michael Darling}}</ref> several of whom were "right off [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]."<ref name=laweekly>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.laweekly.com/micelis-celebrates-70-years-of-hollywood-history/|magazine=[[LA Weekly]]|title=Miceli's Celebrates 70 Years of Hollywood History|date=November 27, 2019|author=Michele Stueven}}</ref>
It opened as a small pizzeria in 1949 and was followed by several additional locations. The original Hollywood location and a newer store in Universal City that opened in 1980<ref name="lamag"/> are both known for dark, sprawling, colorful interiors, ceilings lined with hanging Chianti bottles,<ref>Geary 2016, p.182</ref> and singing waiters. The wooden booths, stools, and wall panels were removed from the nearby [[Pig_%27n_Whistle]] nearby when it went out of business in 1952.<ref>Gelakoska 2010, p.61</ref> The restaurant was founded by WWII veteran Carmen Miceli who continued to visit and share stories with guests, including many celebrities and three U.S. presidents, until his death at age 92 in 2015. Carmen Miceli was the son of Sicilian immigrants and was born in Chicago on March 17, 1923. He moved to Los Angeles in 1946 and worked as a waiter at [[Ciro's]] before bringing his family to California to join him in opening their restaurants. His Hollywood pizzeria attracted many famous Italian-Americans including [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Dean Martin]], [[Joe DiMaggio]], and his wife [[Marilyn Monroe]]. <ref>{{cite news| title=Carmen Miceli, founder of Hollywood’s oldest Italian restaurant, dies| url=https://www.dailynews.com/2015/11/07/carmen-miceli-founder-of-hollywoods-oldest-italian-restaurant-dies/| access-date=28 October 2020| newspaper=Los Angeles Daily News| date=7 November 2015}}</ref> The restaurant continues to serve their original Italian recipes and offers live entertainment nightly.

==History==
Miceli's was opened in 1949 by [[World War II]] veteran Carmen Miceli and his wife Sylvia with help from their brothers and sisters, and originally featured family recipes from [[Sicily]].<ref name=ladailynews>{{cite news|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2015/11/07/carmen-miceli-founder-of-hollywoods-oldest-italian-restaurant-dies/|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]|title=Carmen Miceli, founder of Hollywood’s oldest Italian restaurant, dies|date=November 7, 2015|author=Dana Bartholomew}}</ref> Originally a [[pizzeria]], Miceli's was the first Italian restaurant in [[Hollywood, California|Hollywood]] and its wooden booths came from another historic Hollywood restaurant, the nearby [[Pig 'n Whistle]].<ref name=lamag/><ref name=laweekly/>

In 1980, the restaurant opened new location in [[Universal City, California]].<ref name=discover/><ref name=laweekly/> Other locations were opened in [[Burbank, California|Burbank]] and [[Beverly Hills]], but those have since closed.<ref name=lamag2>{{cite magazine|url=https://lamag.com/archive/hollywood-pizza-king-carmen-miceli-dies-at-92|magazine=[[Los Angeles (magazine)]]|title=Hollywood Pizza King Carmen Miceli Dies at 92|date=November 3, 2015|author=Chris Nichols}}</ref>

==Clientele==
Many notable figures, both inside and outside Hollywood, have dined at Miceli's over the years. Future [[President of the United States|presidents]] [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Richard Nixon]] dined here before they were elected.<ref name=discover/> Famed gangster [[Mickey Cohen]] was a visitor, as was West Coast mafia chieftain [[Angelo Marino (mobster)|Angelo Marino]], who also owned the [[California Cheese Company]], of which the Miceli's were his largest purchaser.<ref name=laweekly/> [[Frank Sinatra]] and [[Marilyn Monroe]] were regulars, and [[Lucille Ball]] learned to flip pizzas in the restaurant's [[Beverly Hills]] location in preparation for the [[I Love Lucy]] episode ''Visitor from Italy''.<ref name=abc7/> [[Pauley Perrette]] and [[John Stamos]] were such regulars that they would walk into the kitchen to chat with the staff, and [[Pele]] once visited and shut the kitchen down for thirty minutes, as the cooks were too busy talking to him.<ref name=discover/>

Other notable figures who dined at Miceli's include [[Dean Martin]], [[Joe DiMaggio]], [[Sal Mineo]], [[Elizabeth Taylor]], [[Richard Burton]], [[the Beatles]], [[Jim Carrey]], [[Adam Sandler]], [[Julia Roberts]], and more.<ref name=ladailynews/>

==Musical tradition==
Miceli's is known for its musical tradition. [[Johnny Carson]]’s [[The Tonight Show Band|Tonight Show Band]] and [[Sarah Vaughn]] used to play at jazz nights hosted by the restaurant, and even moreso, the restaurant is known for its singing waitstaff, who often perform with a piano player during their dinner shifts.<ref name=discover/> Many of the waitstaff were right off Broadway, including opening cast members of ''[[Jersey Boys]]'', ''[[Beauty and the Beast (musical)|Beauty and the Beast]]'', and ''[[The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)|Phantom of the Opera]]''.<ref name=laweekly/>

==In popular culture==
Miceli's was the location where Sarah Conner saw a news report about her name in ''[[The Terminator]]'',<ref name=laweekly/> was the site of a double murder in ''[[Mob City]]'',<ref name=lamag/> and was also featured in ''[[Knocked Up]]'' and season 8 of ''[[Dexter (TV series)|Dexter]]''.<ref name=lamag/>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}}
==External links==
* {{cite book |title=L.A.’s Legendary Restaurants |last=Geary |first=George |year=2016 |publisher=Santa Monica Press |isbn=9781595800893 |url= http://santamonicapress.com/celebrating-the-famous-places-where-hollywood-ate-drank-and-playedl-a-s-legendary-restaurants/ }}
*{{Official website|https://micelis.restaurant/}}
* {{cite book |title=Pig & Whistle |last=Gelakoska |first=Veronica |year=2010 |publisher=Arcadia Press |isbn=9780738581415 |url= https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9780738581415/ }}

{{refend}}
{{Greater Hollywood}}
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[[Category:Restaurants in Los Angeles]]
{{Restaurants in Los Angeles County}}
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[[Category:Italian restaurants]]

[[Category:Hollywood history and culture]]
⚫
[[Category:Restaurants in Hollywood history]]
[[Category:Restaurants established in 1949]]
[[Category:Restaurants established in 1949]]
[[Category:Restaurants in Greater Los Angeles]]
[[Category:1949 establishments in California]]
[[Category:History of Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Culture of Los Angeles]]
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[[Category:Culture of Hollywood, Los Angeles]]
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[[Category:Restaurants in Los Angeles]]
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[[Category:Italian restaurants in California]]
[[Category:Companies based in Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:Companies based in Los Angeles County, California]]

Latest revision as of 23:31, 19 August 2024

Miceli's
Map
Restaurant information
Established1949; 75 years ago (1949)
Food typeItalian
Dress codeCasual, business casual
Street address1646 N Las Palmas Avenue
CityHollywood
CountyLos Angeles
StateCalifornia
CountryUnited States
Coordinates34°06′05″N 118°20′10″W / 34.1015°N 118.3360°W / 34.1015; -118.3360
Other locations3655 Cahuenga Blvd, Universal City, California
Websitemicelis.restaurant

Miceli's is an Italian restaurant located at 1646 N Las Palmas Avenue, half a block south of Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood, California. Open since 1949, it is the oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood[1] and is known for its singing waitstaff,[2][3][4] several of whom were "right off Broadway."[5]

History

[edit]

Miceli's was opened in 1949 by World War II veteran Carmen Miceli and his wife Sylvia with help from their brothers and sisters, and originally featured family recipes from Sicily.[6] Originally a pizzeria, Miceli's was the first Italian restaurant in Hollywood and its wooden booths came from another historic Hollywood restaurant, the nearby Pig 'n Whistle.[3][5]

In 1980, the restaurant opened new location in Universal City, California.[4][5] Other locations were opened in Burbank and Beverly Hills, but those have since closed.[7]

Clientele

[edit]

Many notable figures, both inside and outside Hollywood, have dined at Miceli's over the years. Future presidents John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon dined here before they were elected.[4] Famed gangster Mickey Cohen was a visitor, as was West Coast mafia chieftain Angelo Marino, who also owned the California Cheese Company, of which the Miceli's were his largest purchaser.[5] Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe were regulars, and Lucille Ball learned to flip pizzas in the restaurant's Beverly Hills location in preparation for the I Love Lucy episode Visitor from Italy.[1] Pauley Perrette and John Stamos were such regulars that they would walk into the kitchen to chat with the staff, and Pele once visited and shut the kitchen down for thirty minutes, as the cooks were too busy talking to him.[4]

Other notable figures who dined at Miceli's include Dean Martin, Joe DiMaggio, Sal Mineo, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, the Beatles, Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, Julia Roberts, and more.[6]

Musical tradition

[edit]

Miceli's is known for its musical tradition. Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show Band and Sarah Vaughn used to play at jazz nights hosted by the restaurant, and even moreso, the restaurant is known for its singing waitstaff, who often perform with a piano player during their dinner shifts.[4] Many of the waitstaff were right off Broadway, including opening cast members of Jersey Boys, Beauty and the Beast, and Phantom of the Opera.[5]

[edit]

Miceli's was the location where Sarah Conner saw a news report about her name in The Terminator,[5] was the site of a double murder in Mob City,[3] and was also featured in Knocked Up and season 8 of Dexter.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Sophie Flay (November 13, 2019). "Oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood: Miceli's celebrates its 70th anniversary". ABC.
  2. ^ "Our Featured Restaurant of the Week is Miceli's!". Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. July 17, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Lindsay Blake (January 9, 2014). "Scene It Before: Miceli's Italian Restaurant from Mob City". Los Angeles (magazine).
  4. ^ a b c d e Michael Darling (Summer 2019). "Miceli's 70th". Discover Hollywood.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Michele Stueven (November 27, 2019). "Miceli's Celebrates 70 Years of Hollywood History". LA Weekly.
  6. ^ a b Dana Bartholomew (November 7, 2015). "Carmen Miceli, founder of Hollywood's oldest Italian restaurant, dies". Los Angeles Daily News.
  7. ^ Chris Nichols (November 3, 2015). "Hollywood Pizza King Carmen Miceli Dies at 92". Los Angeles (magazine).
[edit]
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